Tomorrow's Sunrise
by Boston Knight
Summary: Derek returns to the BAU after a year away. He has returned alone and his isn't talking about it or anything for that matter to anyone. Penelope hasn't spoken to him since before he left and is apprehensive about his return. These former best friends couldn't be farther apart. (Full direction of the story is still under construction...better summary to come).
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Just a small teaser intro. Still playing around with where I want to go with this story. I do not own these characters, just the story I'm writing. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading.**

Penelope stretched her toes under her desk currently cursing her beautiful, yet unforgiving, lilac heels. Today had been one of those days that felt like it was never going to end. Stretching her neck around, she sighed at her clock. It was only three in the afternoon.

A small knock interrupted her small respite. Looking up she smiled as Aaron Hotchner entered and laid a file upon her desk.

"Hello darling. What can this beautiful oracle do for you today?" she asked with a smile.

She grabbed the folder, but before she lifted it Hotch put his hand on the file stopping her.

"We have a new team member," Hotch said. "I will need new credentials for him. He will be joining us tomorrow."

"Alrighty…" Penelope said curiously still unable to grab the file from him. "You know sweetie, in order for me to do this I will need to know who it is."

Hotch smiled sadly, "That's why I'm here Garcia. You do know him."

Confused she opened up the finally relinquished file. Gasping she closed it again and closed her eyes.

"I don't know the circumstances and I haven't spoke to him directly. Have you…"

"No!" she interjected quickly. "Not since…"

Not since before he left. She finished the thought in her head, but by the look on Hotch's face she didn't have to.

Putting a smile back on her face, "I will have everything ready for you, for him, tomorrow."

Hotch stood uncomfortably and with a supportive nod he left.

Opening up the folder again she sighed. Staring down into those beautiful chocolate eyes she suddenly didn't mind if this day dragged on into eternity. That way, tomorrow would never come. That way, she'd never have to see him again. It had taken her this long to collect all of the pieces of her heart he left behind. If only she'd had time to put her heart back together as well.

 _They stared at each other as the rain poured. He'd walked her to her car like it was any other day. Hed'd said he needed to talk. She was there for him as she'd always been. But now, she couldn't move…could barely breathe. She was drenched, cold, and broken._

" _I don't understand any of this Derek," she whispered, her voice thick with tears._

" _She's pregnant Pen," he stated as if that answered everything._

" _And you are quitting the bureau. I already know all of that. That still doesn't explain why…" her voice broke then. She couldn't even say the words._

" _They have to be my priority." he continued. "I can't have any distractions."_

" _So my friendship was a distraction?!" her sadness giving way to her ire._

 _He grabbed her and pulled her into a desperate hug. Grabbing her as though she was disappearing right before him. "Baby girl…" his voice was pleading._

 _She stood frozen, thankful the rain hid her tears. She couldn't fight him when he sounded like that._

 _Then, as suddenly as her grabbed her he pushed back from her. Rigid, his voice full of ice, "Distraction is all this could ever be."_

 _With that he left her._

She's neither seen nor spoke to him since.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thanks for the review for the first chapter! I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters, just the story. I hope you enjoy reading!**

Walking into her apartment that night, she shuffled off her shoes and plopped her purse on the kitchen counter-top.

Her first and only desire was to drop into a hot bubble bath. Perhaps she could soothe her troubled mind. Running her fingers through her hair, she sighed. She wasn't emotionally prepared for the next morning.

Barely stepping into the bathroom she turned on the faucet. Heading to the bedroom, she took off her jewelry, removed her makeup, and grabbed her pjs. Nothing fancy, just a pair of cotton shorts and tank top. She valued comfort over everything else tonight.

Turning on the light in the bathroom, she swept over and tested the temperature of the warm. Adding a little more bubble bath, she watched the tub fill the last little bit. Stripping off her dress, she dipped into the hot water and sighed closing her eyes.

She had never been mad that he left. Syvannah was pregnant and he'd had a definite too close to call moment on the job. What broke her was when he severed all ties to her personally. Professionally, she'd understand, but he was her best friend. Her rock, her call every night to catch up on the day, coffee on Sundays, funny movie when you're sad best friend. Until he wasn't. Until she was a distraction.

A distraction…

The thought still seared in her heart like a red hot poker was shoving itself threw her.

 _Curse you, Derek Morgan. Curse you for making me feel this way. For making me want to hate you. For making me…._ Penelope thought shaking. _I hate that I still care about you. That I still worry about you. That I love you, you stupid jerk._

Opening her eyes, adjusting her eyes from the steam, she saw it.

Red Seduction it was called. Her favorite lipstick.

On her mirror. In large letters.

 _I won't let you forget about me._

Carefully crawling out of the tub. Grabbing her robe she moved to her bed.

Her phone was connecting before she even put it to her ear.

"Hotchner."

"I got another one," she whispered her bottom lip shaking.

"Damn…" she heard rustling on the other line. "I will be there as soon as I can. Calling a local detail as well."

"Th-thanks."

"Call JJ and don't hang up until they or I show up."

"Okay."

"And Garcia?"

"Hmm?"

"Be safe till I get there."

She nodded absentmindedly, before hanging up and dialing JJ.

"Hey Pen, whats up?"

"Distract me…" she barely whispered.

She could practically feel the vengeance radiating from her phone. "I heard he was coming back. I'm gonna smack him so hard when I see him."

Penelope snorted. She laughed through her silent tears, "I want front row seats to that...and popcorn, but I'm afraid that's not exactly why I'm calling."

"No?"

"I'm…I'm waiting for Hotch right now. I got another message."

JJ sighed, "I really think you should consider staying here for awhile."

"I don't know…"

Not wanting to make her evening worse, JJ quickly switched the subject, "Henry keeps stealing Will's screwdriver after that Dr. Who marathon you and Reid watched with him."

Penelope's heart lightened and she laughed. She could picture her Godson now. "Lemme guess, he won't take off the scarf Reid gave him."

"We have to bribe him at bathtime or else he will wear it then too."

"Oh no," she giggled. "I may have to hold off from the newer doctors...otherwise he will start wanting fishing fingers and custard."

"Do I have to start getting a babysitter for my babysitters?"

"Like who? Rossi? You don't want that kind of influence on your child."

Penelope heard a knock on the front door. "I think that's Hotch."

"Perhaps he could watch you and Reid," JJ mused.

Walking to the front door, she peered through the keyhole and opened the door. "I don't know JJ. I caught him watching Dr. Who after I introduced it to Jack."

"The lot of you are hopeless...I need to get a larger group of friends."

"I love you too, beautiful. Hotch is here. I'm gonna let you go."

"Bye, honey."

She shut of her phone and looked up at her boss/friend.

"Where is the note?"

"This way," she said walking to the bathroom.

Silently he followed her and after reading the mirror he walked back out to her kitchen.

"He hasn't left one in a while."

"Yeah."

"He's never been inside before."

"Yeah."

"Notice anything else?"

"Haven't looked."

"That's probably good. Forensics will want to go over the whole apartment."

"I assumed."

"You will need to stay away from here for awhile. Which isn't a bad idea anyway, given that he is getting bolder."

Penelope sighed, "You sound like JJ."

Hotch smiled at her. "I know that you understand deep down that going elsewhere is a smart move. I also know you are more afraid then you let on."

"Are you profiling me Aaron?" she only used his first name when she was irritated.

"As your friend I can tell when you're afraid. When my usually talkative tech wonder uses one word or two word sentences, I know something is wrong."

She just kind of crossed her arms and sighed in a noncommittal pout.

He laughed and they went to the door to let the other unit in. "I have to stay but, for the night, you should take my car and stay at a hotel."

"I can take my car."

"No we will want to look at that as well.

"You suck Aaron."

"You're the one telling people I watch Dr. Who, whatever that is."

He stopped the uniformed cop next to him, "Take Ms. Garcia to The Dupont, its closest. I've already called and she has a room for the night. Walk her to her room and don't listen to her if she tries to talk you out of it."

Turning back to her he patted her shoulder and said, "get some sleep. I will see you at work tomorrow. I will have JJ drop by with your go bag after we search it tonight."

She just nodded. There was too much to process right now to argue further.

 **AN: Thanks for reading! Lemme know what you think!**


	3. Chapter 3

**AN: Thanks for reading! I do not own Criminal Minds or its characters!**

Derek Morgan had made himself one promise when he decided to return to the BAU. Under no circumstances was he ever going to hurt her like that again. He'd tore his heart out for good last year and even if this meant reopening that wound daily, he would never hurt his baby girl again.

Needing to clear his head, he'd grabbed his keys and went driving with no destination in mind. Gripping the steering wheel he knew he was only blocks from her place. As if compelled, he found himself weaving his way closer to her apartment and cursing himself at every turn. For his former family, and mainly for her, he'd decided that this time he would keep his distance. He was ashamed of the decisions he'd made and ashamed of the man he'd become.

Finally deciding he would head home, he slowed to the left turn lane at the stoplight. Sighing frustratedly at himself, he gave himself over to temptation and peeked down the right side of the road. Three blocks downs, Penelope's apartment complex was lit in an endless parade of red and blue lights.

Without a second thought he cut off the car to the right, sped down the block, barely turned off his car, was halfway up the stairs.

"Morgan?" Hotch asked surprised.

Seeing where Hotch was standing, the pink protruding from the open apartment behind him, Morgan felt the rock hit his stomach.

"Is she okay?" he asked moving closer to the apartment.

"Yes," Hotch replied looking at his former friend as if contemplating what he should say.

"What happened? Where is she?" Morgan asked straining around Hotch to see into the apartment.

"She's fine," Hotch replied. "She's at a hotel for the night. We think someone broke in while she was at work."

"What? Why?"

"Look," Hotch said rubbing his temples. "I told you that if you came back to the BAU you had to be all in. Well, this, with Garcia, is another thing entirely. She's been going through some things, but she is well protected and taken care of. That being said right now one of the things I'm protecting her from is you and you know that. Unless you are prepared to go all in for her, I suggest you let us take care of this."

Derek felt like he'd been punched, but he couldn't deny the truth in Hotch words.

...

"JJ my love?" Penelope smiled peering over the cubicle to her desk.

"Yes?" She replied innocently

"Why is my to-go bag missing most of its contents?"

"Because the rest are in my guest room," JJ replied nonchalantly.

"Why?"

"I'm kidnapping you."

Penelope's face got red, "You are an FBI agent….you're not allowed to kidnap anyone!"

"Sure I can, I got the boss's permission. Besides you can't go home yet, they're still processing the scene and hotels are expensive."

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

Reid came by at that moment, "Debriefing in 5 guys. You okay Garcia?"

"Your apartment gets broken into once and everyone makes a fuss," she replied with a smile.

He half hugged her and the two girls followed him into the briefing room.

She wasn't surprised Derek was already in the room. Rossi was regaling him with stories of his grandson. On the surface, Derek seemed much the same, but it was the little things that Penelope found surprising. His face was a tad sunken in around his eyes and cheekbones as though he wasn't eating or sleeping like he used to. The biggest thing she noticed though was his guarded demeanor. In the past, he'd reminded her of great dane. Sure he was big and could look daunting, but you could always depend on him to be there for you, make you smile, and he always had a inviting welcomeness to his features. Now he reminded her of some jungle cat. Sure, he was still pretty to look at, but getting close to him was not advisable. For whatever reason though this didn't relieve her. She should have been angry and thankful he wanted distance, but seeing him like this only made her concerned.

"Good morning everyone," Hotch greeted entering the room. "Last night we saw the re-emergence of the UNSUB the papers have coined The Entrapment Killer. Penelope?"

Standing, she pulled up four women's photos and sent necessary information to each person's tablet. "About seventeen months ago this case first appeared after the body Rebecca Fields, age 30, was discovered in the quarry about an hour south of town. Her boyfriend, Darren Petersburg plead guilty last year for her murder. The night of his conviction, Kassandra Isaacs' body was left in that same quarry, she was 29 years old. Her boyfriend plead guilty 8 months ago. Another conviction, another body. Hayden Price, 32 years old. That's when we were first contacted and full search of the quarry was undertaken. Hidden away, posed in the same manner as the others, we discovered what we believe is the first victim, Melody Davis, age 30.

After full searches were conducted at all four women's residences it became clear that we were dealing with something far different from simple crimes of passion perpetrated by enraged boyfriends. Each victim had reported that they believed they were being stalked. Evidence recovered from the victims showed months of instances of the UNSUB stalking his victims, both collecting trophies from each girl and sending correspondence that suggested he believed he was in a relationship with each of them. Further the tapes found in the possession of each confessed suspect, were all shot at the same residence, never revealing the face of the attacker. After interviewing Darren Petersberg he confessed that he had received a letter and tape and was coerced into confessing."

Switching the screen to a single letter, she took a breath and continued. "Six months ago I received my first letter, complete with candid photographs of myself. The letters and 'gifts' have continued intermittently since, and last night he escalated by breaking into my apartment."

She switched the screen again, this time to the photograph of her bathroom mirror.

"Up until this moment," Hotch continued, "we've allowed the UNSUB to continue his game, hoping we could catch him before he targets anyone else, however with the escalation of breaking into her apartment we cannot engage him in this manner any further. Garcia is relocating temporarily until we can catch him."

"Yay for no longer being bait," Penelope joked hoping to alleviate the tension in the room.

"We are combing through the security cameras we've set up outside her apartment and are still processing the apartment for further clues. I want everyone to get reacquainted with this case and see if we can't find a new perspective and I want to reexamine the original profile against what we can discern from the correspondence he's sent thus far. We'll meet again at fifteen hundred and go over what we've found."

 **AN:Thanks for reading and reviewing!**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the break in writing. I wound up having surgery and with all of that coming back to this story has been more difficult than I'd hoped.**

"What I still don't understand," Rossi stated interrupting the silence of the conference room, "is the UNSUB's deviation in targets."

Tensions ran high since the earlier morning briefing. As expected, the team was not happy with the secrets the supervisory special agent and resident tech guru had been keeping. Not that Penelope had expected anything else.

Boxes of photographs, letters, and countless dictations now filled the room. They each were labeled by case numbers and a single female name. It was difficult to stomach the reduction of a person to the contents of her box, especially knowing she, too, now had a box. Up until today, only Hotch and herself knew what was inside. She shuddered to think about opening that box and letting her team see the truth of the last six months.

Reid agreeing with Rossi's assessment added, "Penelope, though fitting the physical and age desires, does not meet any other of the implied criteria our UNSUB requires."

"All the prior victims were in long term bad relationships. The UNSUB romanticizes himself as the hero rescuing his victims from their fate.. Penelope is in no such relationship." Rossi continued.

Hotch cleared his throat, looking up from the documents in front of him, "it is my belief that the UNSUB has targeted Ms. Garcia based on her last relationship and subsequent breakup. Victim three Hayden Price, too, was targeted between her on and off relationship."

"Yes, though in Ms. Price's instance she'd been in said relationship on and off for six years while Penelope had only dated Sam for a few months."

"It could be a misconstruction on the part of the UNSUB or perhaps a sign of devolvement," Hotch replied slightly dismissively.

Reid nodded and pacified Rossi went back to reading over the case files.

Penelope blinked at Hotch surprised but otherwise said nothing chewing the inside of her cheek. He'd just lied to the team.

Unpinning a few golden locks, Penelope watched as her hair fell over her eyes. It was a silly ritual, but for those few seconds she was hidden from the world. She could breathe out her anxieties and no one would be the wiser.

Your pain calls to me, begs to be quelled.

Shuddering she pushed her curls behind her ear. Those were his first words to her. And while her heart had been a chasm of endless anguish, her carefree mask had fooled even her friends at the BAU. He saw her….and it was terrifying.

Staring at her box for a moment, her eyes drifted to the unusually quiet Derek Morgan. Would he know the truth? The photographs the UNSUB sent detailed her quiet descent to despair. The nights of watching the DC skyline while nursing a glass of wine; the moments she'd crumpled to the ground trying to box a single momento; the evaporating hope that came with empty inboxes and nonexistent text messages.

Could she handle them delving deeper?

 _"I don't understand," she whispered tears pooling in her eyes. She was sitting on the couch of her apartment with Hotch trying to regain her composure._

 _The second note she'd received was wadded in her hand._

 _-It was never the leaving that broke us. No it was in the silent mornings that followed, the vulnerabilities of moments forgotten, that caused the most damage. In this pain, we are the same, we share that same sorrow. What that I could comfort you and ease your burdened heart.-_

 _"Aaron, I don't understand how he knows…so much," her voice broke then as a sob escaped._

 _Taking her hand Hotch said, "I know how terrifying this is."  
_

 _"It's not that...its just that the things he says...he knows..."_

 _"How he knows about your feelings for Morgan."_

 _Closing her eyes she cursed the instincts of the profiler sitting across from her. "Until today I could pretend he meant Sam...I just never thought a stranger could see, what I...what I didn't even know until it was too late."_

 _He pulled her into a hug unable to bear seeing her so pained. "Let me call off the investigation. We can catch him another way."_

 _"No!" she cried pushing back from him shaking her head fervently. "This was my idea and it's our best chance. This letter...it just caught me off guard."_

 _"Okay," he agreed knowing he wouldn't change her mind. "But you have to know this will only get more personal."_

 _She nodded wordlessly, but determined._


	5. Chapter 5

**AN: Hey guys sorry for another long delay! This year is akin to snowballing over a cliff without a parachute. Two surgeries and a death in the family later and I've been completely writer's blocked. Anyways I will try to update sooner and I never abandon my stories. Thanks for reading and reviewing! It really helps me to know you guys enjoy it! And as always Criminal Minds does not belong to me...I'm simply borrowing the characters.**

"I love my husband. I love my children. I love my life. But I am begging you, if anyone comes to the door in the next 10 minutes I was never here and you haven't seen me."

JJ collapsed dramatically on the bed beside her, flushed and breathless, and Penelope couldn't help but laugh. Considering the chaos still emanating one floor below them, she could only imagine what prompted such a request.

Their exceptionally long afternoon trapped in the conference room had ended a few hours ago and, while it wasn't ideal, Penelope found herself glad that she was residing in her friend's guestroom.

"I wish you had told me who your stalker was Garce."

Penelope grimaced though she had not been unprepared for such a comment.

"It was a...calculated decision. We thought…" she began choosing her words carefully.

"You and Hotch?" JJ interrupted.

"Yes. He thought, and I agreed, that the fewer people who knew the better chance we'd have to catch him."

"Right. Because how could another profiler help?" JJ spat sarcastically.

"Alright. I insisted that we not tell you...or the others." she added quickly. "I didn't want anyone getting hurt."

"But you were disposable?" her friend's voice changing to concern.

Penelope looked down at her hands. She didn't want her friend to read her thoughts in that moment.

JJ knew her too well though and interrupted her silent contemplation. "Just because _he_ couldn't see how absolutely irreplaceable you are, do not think for a second you are disposable. I have two little boys downstairs not to mention a certain best friend of yours lying right here beside you who could not handle if anything happens to you."

"I'm sorry," Penelope said wiping a rogue tear from her cheek. "If it helps, that wasn't the only reason. The things in the UNSUB wrote in his letters…. He knew things...things I didn't want to share with anyone. Whether they knew how I felt or not."

JJ turned to face her, "As a reasonable person I understand your rationale; as your best friend it breaks my heart to think of you going through this, ALL of this, alone."

Penelope met JJ's sad eyes with her own, "I don't mind sharing this with you, especially now, and it's not like I can hide anymore if I wanted to. As soon as Pandora's box opens, nothing will stay secret for long."

"Nothing the team can't handle," JJ stated confidently, "besides what secrets are even left?"

Penelope propped herself up and gazed out the window. The rain was falling in sheets and she was back in a moment she'd buried so long ago. "When Derek left, everyone assumed he'd keep in touch. It was months before we all realized he'd completely cut off contact to the entire team. I remember how surprised and concerned you were when I told you I hadn't heard from him either. I didn't have the heart to tell you then... You were already so worried about me. I mean, you guessed before I did that I…. That he and I… That I wanted…"

She drew in a deep breath trying to quiet her thoughts and held a hand up to stop JJ from interrupting, she needed to say this. "The day he left… he told me that we… he and I, we weren't going to speak again. I was...asked not to contact him."

JJ sat up very slowly. Her hands balled into a fist at her sides and she opened her mouth a few times before she actually spoke, "He did...what now?"

"I was…" she started quietly the words 'a distraction' getting caught in her throat. Even after all this time she couldn't say them out loud. Instead she continue, "I mean, I think he just wanted a fresh start...away from everything."

"Away from you, you mean." JJ stated reading the volumes of subtext hiding clumsily under her words.

"I...don't know," Penelope stated, feeling and hearing the defeat in her own words. It had been easier to talk to Hotch, probably because he didn't know her like JJ did. She wouldn't accept the half truths and likely could infer the rest anyway.

She drew a deep breath, "I honestly can't say what his true reasons were. He didn't explain...but I was devastated. Even if I had admitted to myself back then what I had felt for him, I lost one of my best friends."

"Even if I could begin to understand any of that, what does it have to do with the case?"

"Because I don't believe I was targeted for my relationship with Sam."

"But you weren't dating Morgan, that doesn't make any sense."

"Most of the bureau believed we were having this illicit affair for years. Is it so far fetched for an outsider to misinterpret our former friendship?"

"Is Hotch aware of your suspicions?"

"He arrived at this conclusion early on. I think he is avoiding revealing the connection as a way to further protect me. Though I have a feeling it will not take much investigative genius to piece it together after all the evidence has been gone through."

"Thus the pandora's box reference."

"Yes."

JJ was silent for a good few minutes pondering this new revelation. Finally she took a deep breath and let her thoughts try to work themselves out, aloud."Okay so I can understand Hotch distancing Morgan from the main investigation. The timing of Morgan's return could serve as a distraction and have us focused on the wrong aspect. Which in itself is suspicious on the part of the UNSUB. I know for a time we believed the UNSUB was beginning to lose interest or was somehow out of the picture. But his return coinciding with Morgan's return suggests that his dormancy was more a game of calculated patience. His vested interests are in the pair of you and not just with you."

Penelope recognized the look in JJ's eyes, the fierce insight and steeled gaze of a seasoned investigator.

Grabbing her phone JJ called Hotch. "I want to schedule re-interviews with the three males convicted of the previous murders."


End file.
